Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 14:3 (New Living Translation) But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. Old Testament prophesying meant predicting the future. God told the prophets what was to happen, the prophets told the people, and it happened sometime in the future. There is much discussion and disagreement about what “prophesying” means in […]

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1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share […]

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1 Corinthians 12:7 (New Living Translation) A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. It is easy to accept a gift and use it for my own pleasure. Someone gives me a gift certificate for my birthday. I enjoy the meal. Natural right? Perhaps this natural use of […]

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1 Corinthians 10:17 (New Living Translation) And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. People don’t eat from the same biscuit. Well, maybe sometimes you will see a husband and wife or a parent and child pull bites from the same biscuit. No one […]

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1 Corinthians 8:1 (New English Translation) With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. This is one of those verses that I dislike. I am educated, well educated, probably overly educated. I have a lot of knowledge. This verse puts knowledge in […]

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1 Corinthians 16:14 (New Living Translation) And do everything with love. Why am I doing this? It doesn’t really matter what “this” is, the question is valid. Is the answer, “Because I love someone?” If it isn’t, I’m probably doing the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong way. God provides us with […]

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1 Corinthians 16:7 (New English Translation) For I (Paul) do not want to see you now in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows. Notice Paul’s concluding phrase – if the Lord allows. Surely God would allow a missionary to visit a church in a foreign land. Surely, […]

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1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. A temple: […]

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1 Corinthians 9:16 (New Living Translation) Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! Paul is writing about preaching and being paid and other forms of compensation for preaching. Paul concludes that […]

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1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (New Living Translation) 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. […]

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